
PS 3513 
R49 C3 
1910 



«5iiK>>^ 




Class _JESj55Jt3 
Book__I^_:_" 



CopyiightN^ 



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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 





CAWN DODGAHS 



BY 

ALICE D. O. GREENWOOD 



•• 




THE LIBRARY SHELF 

850-854 McCLURG BUILDING 

CHICAGO. U. S. A. 

1910 












Copyright 1910 

By THE LIBRARY SHELF 



All rights reserved 







CCI.A278S72 



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INTRODUCEMENT 

Chris'mas gif to ebrybody; 

But it *peahs to me as if 
Dese aint fittin* fo* to offah 

White fo'ks fo* dah Chris'mas gif. 



Howsomebbah Ise done mak *em 
Hopin* dat yo* *joy *em sum; 

He*p yo'sef, an* don* be back'ard. 
Plenty mo* wha dese come frum. 



(T) 









(8) 





CHRIS'MAS GIF' 






I don' hankah arter money, 

'Ceptin' only once a yeah; 
Den I wush I'se wof a million, 

Fo' it hu'ts me right in huh 
When ma li'le pickaninnies 

Hollahs, *'Mammy, Chris'mas gif!" 
An' I'se not got airy coppah 

Fo' to buy dem presen's wif. 




(9) 





Da's Rastus, an* John Henry, 

An' li'le Rosy Lee; 
Da ain' no bettah chilluns, 

Ef da does berlong to me. 
Ob coase I knows da's cullad. 

But, sho! day ain' to blame; 
Da Mastah made 'em dat way. 

An' da's humans jis de same. 




(10) 





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CAWN DODGAHS 



Des yonda is a dollah 

In dat teapot on de she'f; 
I knows it kase I 'arned it. 

An' put it da mase'f ; 
An* sabed it jis a pu'pose 

Fo' to buy some nicknacks wif. 
To sprise dem pickaninnies 

When da hollahs, "Chris'mas gif!" 




(11) 







I kain* ha'dly wait fo* Chris*mas, 

I'se so anxious fo' to see 
De way dem li'le coons' 11 dance. 

An* hug an' kissen me. 
Oh, da'll sholy cut de capahs — 

Why. de roof 11 fahly lif 
When da sees de presen's comin* 

An' da hollahs, *'Chris'mas gif !" 



(12) 





CHRISTMAS EBE 






De groun* am white an* de aih am chill. 

But de fiah bu*ns bright an' de house am wa m. 

An* ma li'le pickaninnie, soon he will 

Come in wif a whoop f* om out de sto*m. 

Dah*s plenty to eat on de buttry she*fs. 

An* mouvs to eat it, an* appetite. 
When de cho*es is done we kin res* ou*sefs 

*Thout hafin to go out doo*s to-night. 




(13) 





Wif ma ole man settin* jis ovah dah. 
An' dat pickaninnie to dance an' sing, 

I sets in ma squeaky rockin' chah, 

An' wouldn' swop places wif de King. 




(14) 






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CAWN DODGAHS 



But sometimes I wondah ef de good Lawd knows 
Dat somewhus outside in de coF an' sleet. 

Das poh li'le chilluns wif no wa'm cloas — 
Wande'in' about in de weakid street. 



X 



'Scuse me, Lawd, if I maks too bole. 

But somehow or nuddah I kaint beliebe 

Dat yo'd luf 'em out dah in de rain an' cole, 
Ef yo' node da was su£fe'in dis Chris'mas ebe. 




(15) 






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CAWN DODGAHS 








CAWN DODGAHS 



=^ 



I DON' LIKE TO HEAH FOLKS GROWLIN' 



I don' like to hea* folks growlin' 

Kase de weatheh aint jis so. 
Frost's what mellahs up de simmons, 

Rain's what maks de goobahs grow. 
Fudahmo', de wateh-million 

Quiahs a climate sissin' hot. 
An* I 'low dat folks am needin* 

All dese changes, like as not. 




(17) 





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CAWN DODGAHS 







Ef de Lawd mak Mistah Adam 

Outen jis a lump o' clay, 
'Peahs to me dat qualifies Him 

Fo' to run things His own way. 
I don' wanto change de progrance 

An' go kicken up a muss, 
Kase I aint done had no 'sperience. 

An' I'd sholy mak things wuss. 




(18) 





CAWN DODGAHS 



X 



'Spose de Lawd'd say, "Now, chilluns. 

Yo' kin gib dis thing a whul; 
I'se a gwin to tiah f'om bisness; 

'Spects yo* all to run de wo'I.'* 
Mak de rain, an* mak de sunshine, 

Mak de springtime an' de fall, 
Mak de whole blame durn kerpoodle, 

I's not gwin* to wuk a*tall. 





I don' bl'ebe da's one amongs' yo' 

or o' young, o' blind o' lame. 
But what thinks he'd hab de Mastah 

Skun a mile at His own game. 
No one in dis confligration 

But what 'magins he'd play hob 
Ef de Lawd'd tiah f om bisness. 

An' jis gib him up de job. 





Suff'in Moses! what yo* reckon 

Dat yo' igermance would do? 
Chil', why da' might hawns an' feathas 

An' a tail grow out on yo'. 
What yo' know about de cosmic 

Ob dis fundimental speah? 
Why yo'd bust de weathah bureau — 

'Coase yo' would — inside a yeah. 




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CAWN DODGAHS 



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Yo' don' know de combination, 

An' you would wifout a doubt 
Haf to bust de bureau open 

Fo' to let de weathah out. 
Den de 'sycologic function 

C'lidin' wid de sesmic fo'ce 
Would esplode de constitution 

An' we'd 'vaporate, ob coase. 




(22) 





Now de Mastah's run dis bisness 

Gwin on fo* million yuh. 
An' he'd ortah hab his han* in, 

Ortah know jis when and whuh 
Fo' to tetch de *lectric button ; 

But it sometimes 'peahs to me 
Dat He gits a little rattled — 

Den things mixes up, yo' see. 




(23) 





I 







Tak,* fo' instance, de extruction 

Ob San Frisco, do yo' low 
Dat de Mastah done dat puppos, 

Jis to show yo' He node how? 
No, He didn* go to do it. 

'Twas an accident, ob coase. 
An* yo* couldn* *vince dis chicken 

Ef yo*d argy tell yo*s hoase. 




(24) 





An' yo* mawk what dis chile tole yo'. 

When dem Frisco victims rise 
An' Stan* up afo' de Mastah, 

Da'll be teahs in Mastah's eyes. 
An' He'll tell 'em how dat somefin* 

Got wrong with de runnin' geahs. 
An' He'll mak it all up to *em 

Ef it take a fousan' yeahs. 




(25) 




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CAWN DODGAHS 



<iF 






(26) 




mmtt 




MAMMY'S LI'L WOOLLY HMD 



X 



Mammy's li'l woolly haid settin' in de doah, 

Reachin' an' a cryin' fo' de moon. 
What yo' low it's made ob? What yo' want it fo'? 

'Peahs yo'all's beginnin' powe'ful soon 
Fo' to cry fo' somethin' dat's clean out o' reach — 

Dat's de way us ol'er chilluns do. 
Bress yo' hawt, ma honey! Mammy's U'l peach, 

Moonses wasn't made fo' sich as yo'. 

Bye by, shet yo' eye, 
Lissen what yo' mammy's gwine to say. 

Snuggle close an' res'. 

Right huh on ma bres'. 
Mammy keep de boogah-man away. 





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CAWN DODGAHS 



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Mammy's li'l woolly haid sleepin* mighty soun*; 

Stahs a blinkin' fro de cabin doah. 
Moon a splashin' whitewash ovah all de groun*. 

Nevah see sich night as dis afoh. 
'Peahs like all de angels had de candles lit, 

Fo' de kintry's mos' as light as day. 
Whup-poah-will a yellin* zo his throat'd split; 

Wind among de cotton seems to say 






Bye by, shet yo* eye, 
Lissen what yo* mammy's gwine to say. 

Snuggle close an' res'. 

Right huh on ma bres*. 
Mammy keep de boogah-man away. 






Mammy *s Ii*I woolly haid sleepin' *powful sweet. 

Moon a shinin* on de cabin floh. 
Kivered haid to foot wid a snow-white sheet; 

Nevah see him lay so still afoh. 
Pooty bunch o' posies in his h'l fist. 

Mammy's teahs a falhn* jis Hke rain 
On de chubby fingahs dat she's kissed an' kissed; 

Nevah sing to woolly haid again. 





Bye by, shet yo* eye, 
Lissen what yo* mammy's gwine to say. 

Snuggle close an' res'. 

Right huh on ma bres*. 
Mammy keep de boogah-man away. 





CAWN DODGAHS 



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(30) 





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CAWN DODGAHS 



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UNCLE RASTUS'S 'SCRIPTION 



Look hea', sonney, let yo' uncle 

Tole yo' jis a fing o' two. 
Ts been libin' on dis planet 

Li'l longah, chile, dan yo'. 
An* ben lookin* roun' da conahs 

Takin' squinticks at it all. 
An' I's larned dis much fo' sartin, 

Whinin' nevah he'ps a tall. 





CA^N DODGAHS 
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'Coase I knows dah's plenty trouble 

To go roun' an' hab some lef , 
An' dah aint no use to borry 

When yo's got enuff yo'sef. 
An' I knows dah's rattlesnakeses. 

An' dah's watah mocksins, too. 
But I aint a huntin' foh *em; 

I's got som'fin else to do. 









When I hunts, I hunts fo' good fing 

'Possums, coons an' like o' dat; 
I files shy o* skeery critters, 

Glad dah is whu dah is at. 
S'posin' yo' try dat dah 'scription. 

An' jis hunt fo' somefin good; 
Lawzy, chil', yo'd be as happy 

As a June bug, ef yo' would. 




(38) 





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CAWN DODGAHS 





(34) 




CAWN DODGAHS 



YO'NS WAS BAWN FO' TO DIE 

I lakes my tex' frum de good ole book, 

"Yo'ns was bawn fo* to die.'* 
Now I hopes yo' membahs dis tex' I'se took, 

Kase yo'ns was bawn fo' to die. 





(35) 




What will yo* do wid yo* riches den? 
Kaint take 'em wid yo', wimmen an' men; 
What will yo' do wid all yo' fine close? 
Kaint take along only one suit o' dose. 
Jis recommembah what de good book say. 
Rich man caint go to hebben no way. 
Den wha's de use'n all dis fuss? 
Bettah be a he' pin' some po' cuss. 
See dat bruddah dah, totin' dat load? 
Frow dem stones all outen his road; 
Grab right holt an' hep him erlong. 
Whistle a tune ur sing him a song. 
'N, if he's hungry, he'd orter be fed, 
Dar'U be 'possums an' hoecakes when yo's dead. 
Kase yo'ns was bawn fo' to die. 




(36) 






==*^ 




'Peahs yo' fo'gits dah's a jedgment day. 
When yo' goes prancin' by dat way, 
Wif yo' head in de aih, steppin' so high; 
Peahs yo' fo'gits dat yo's got to die. 
De wo'ms don' caih how fine yo's dress. 
An' da'll smack dah lips on yo', same as de res'; 
If yo' wanter be sho dat yo' name's writ down 
In de Lawd's big book fo' de gol'en crown, 
Yo' mus' hoe yo' cawn to de end ob de row, 
Kase de obeseah am sho' to know; 
An' when de night comes an' de Lawd He say, 
"What dis niggah been about all day?" 
Den de obeseah gits his book and reads 
Dat yo's lef yo' cawn all choke wid weeds; 
An* de Lawd look sorrowful den an' say, 
**Yo' haden't orter lef yo' cawn dat way, 
Kase yo'ns was bawn fo' to die." 




(37) 








I 



Den yo' say, "Yes, Lawd, dat's sho 'nuff. 
But away back dah wha' de fiel's was rough 
An* de clods was had an' de weeds was tall 
An' de cawn was ornry like an' small, 
De thawns hu't ma feet, an' de briahs, too. 
An' I 'lowed 'twouldn't make no odds to yo'. 
So I jis sot down dah, side o' de road. 
To res' a spell, an' de fus' I know'd 
'Twas da'k an somebody hollered, 'Sam!' 
So I comed right along an' hea I am. 
But if yo'll le'me go back dah jis once mo', 
I'll pull dem weeds out dis time sho." 
But de Lawd he shake his haid an' say, 
"Dis bus don't run only jis one way." 
Den de gate slam to wif a nawful crash. 
An' yo's locked out wif de po' white trash. 
Yo'ns was bawn fo' to die. 



(38) 






But if yo' hoe yo' cawn as yo*d orter do. 
In coase de good Lawd'll know dat, too. 
An* he'll meet yo' den wif a smile on his face. 
An say, "I'se done an' kep yo' place." 
He'll gib yo' a banjo wif a thousand strings, 
A long linnen dustah, an' a pai' o' wings. 
An' yo' face' 11 shine like de big full moon; 
Dah'll be no mo' wuk fo' dat po' ole coon. 
An' he'll gib yo' a seat in a cushen chai' 
An' de waitah'll han' yo' de bill ob faih; 
Yo'U odah den what yo' likes de mos' — 
Sweet potatah an' possum roas'. 
An* yo'll eat an' drink till yo' git yo' fill 
An* de Lawd himse'f will foot de bill. 
Yo*ns was bawn fo to die. 




(39) 





CAWN DODGAHS 




X 



Dar'll be meetin* at airly candle light, 
In dis huh schoul house tomorrah night. 
May de grace ob de Lawd be wif yo' den. 
Now an' fo' ebbah. Amen, Amen. 




(40) 





WUSH YO'S DAID ? 

Chawles Augustas, don' yo' le'me 
Hea* yo' mak' dat mawk no moh. 

"Wush yo's daid"? Why, suffe'in Moses! 
What yo' wantah be daid fo'> 




Don' yo' know da sun am shinin'? 

Kaint yo' hea' de mawkbud sing? 
Aint de millions lookin' scrumptious? 

Don* yo' know dat dis am Spring? 



(41) 





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CAWN DODGAHS 



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Cat fish dai'n yo' to colch 'em, 
Grinnin' kase da think yo's *fraid; 

An* yo' brack ongrateful lummix 
Lay dah wushin' yo' was daid! 




(42) 





Go an* cut yo*se*f a fish pole — 

Yo* knows wheh, down in da cane; 

Dig some bait an* go a fishin*, 

Don' lay dah, boy, an' complain. 






O* go hoe dem sweet potatohs — 

Da is plenty wuk to do; 
Cotton whispahin, Ch-a-w-1-e-s Au-g-u-s-t-a-s ! 

An* da cawn a beckonon' yo*. 






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CAWN DODGAHS 



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(44) 





SOMEBODY'S GWIN TER COME 



Kotch dat hen an* roas* huh quick, 
Sally's drapped da puddin' stick — 

Somebod\}'s gTvin ier come. 
When yo' hea' dat roostah crow. 
Wid his eye right on da doah, 
Dat's anothah sign, fo* sho — 

Somebody s gwin ter come. 




(45) 






See dat brack cat switch his tail? 
Nevah node dat sign ter fail — 

Somebody s gmn ter come. 
Hyuh dat brindle cow a mooin*? 
An* dah tu'ttle dove a cooin'? 
Mammy, we mus* be a doin* — 

Somebody*s gn>in ter come. 



(46) 





X 



Sou*f win' whispah fro de cain, 

'Pears jis like dat it am sayin' — 

**Somebod^'s gwin ier come.'* 

When dem whip-poh-willses hollahs, 

Viney's eyes shine bright as dollahs; 

Boys, git on yoh papah colla's — 

Somehodyl' s gwin ter come. 
« « « 




(47) 





I 




What I tol' yo'? Looky yandah; 
See dat long legg yallah gandah? 

Somebod})'s gwin let come. 
Mak' yo' mannahs to dat suit. 
An' dat shiney hat ter boot. 
Chilluns, jis git up an' scoot — 
Somebody sho has come. 



(48) 









PLAY YO' FIDDLE, LET IT RAIN 






Look hyuh, honey, dah's no sense in 

Yo' a ponchin' out yo* mouf 
An' a lookin* woebergondish 

Kase de win' am in de souf ; 
S'pose it does mean rainy wethah? 

Bress yo', chile, dis roof don' leak; 
An' deih's mos' cawn meal an' bacon 

In de house to las' a week. 




(49) 




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CAWN DODGAHS 



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Tcahs to me dat yo*s ongrateful, 
Dah's no 'casion to complain. 

Bacon, cawn meal, sawgum lasses — 
What's de reason it kaint rain? 

Jis yo* git down yo' ole fiddle. 
Stop yo' growlin*, hoi' yo' jaw, 

An' while mammy's makin' cawn pone, 

Yo' play * Turkey in de Straw." 




(50) 





CAWN DODGAHS 



Dat's right; chime her up permiscus! 

Now jis gib de ole thing fits. 
Bacon, cawn meal, sawgum lasses, 

(Sidles all dat, Fse got two bits.) 
We's mos* millionaireses, honey! 

An* it's weakid ter complain ; 
Lots ter eat, an* plenty money. 

We kin* foa*d to let it rain. 




(51) 




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CAWN DODGAHS 



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(B2) 





WHEN OU' LUCINDY SINGS 



Da mockinbi'd an' robin. 

Da thrush an' meddah-la'k, 
Jis' stop an' seem to lissen. 

Da crows all hollah *'ha'k," 
An' ebry bi'd amongst 'em 

Sets up an' folds his wings. 
An' Nater whispahs * 'silence," 

When ou' Lucindy sings. 




(98) 




CAWN DODGAHS 




<^ 



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Yo' thoughts go sHdin' backard 

An' somehow yo* seems to be 
A li'l pickaninny, 

Yo* haid on mammy*s knee; 
Yo* fo'gits about yo' trubbles, 

An* all tha hu*ts an* stings. 
An* somehow thinks o* angels. 

When ou' Lucindy sings. 






Da tell us obah yandah. 

Close beside da Jaspah sea, 
Dah's a city full o' music; 

But it somehow seems to me 
Dat da angels won't be in it — 

Lak da bi'ds da'll fold da wings 
An' jis' set still an' lissen. 

When ou' Lucindy sings. 





CAWN DODGAHS 







^^/U^ 



(50) 





LONY. LONY BIG MAN 




Lony, lony big man! 

Oh, be keerful dah; 
Don* go cuttin* rustics, o' yo'll fall. 

Take oV mammy's fingah, 
Lebe go ob dat chai', 

Dat aih aint no way to walk a tall. 



(57) 




=^ 





Loney, loney, loney, — 

Da yo* goes agin; 
Bust yo haid wide open pooty soon. 

Oh, yo' li'l rascal, 
Don* yo' stand' an' grin; 

Sholy yo's one happy li'l coon. 




(58) 






CAWN DODGAHS 



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Lony, lony, lony, — 

Now yo's down fo* sho. 
Mammy's pow*ful sorry dat yo* fell; 

Da, don' cry, ma honey. 
Mammy whup da flo'. 

Den her* 11 kiss de place an mak' it well 








(60) 






GITTIN' OLE 



'Gittin* ole?" Yo's sholy jokin*; 

Why, I'se only sebenty-fibe. 
I don' call dat gittin' ole, chile, 

Clah to gracious! sakes alibe! 
I'se not ha*dly got ma growf yit; 

Larnin' somefin' ebry day. 
An' I'se jis a feelin' scrumptious, 

Gittin' ole? Sho, chile, go way! 






"Gittin* ole?'* Now, stop dat foolin*; 

Yo* knows bettah, coase yo' do, 
Kase ma jints is jis as limbah 

An' I'se mose as spry as yo'. 
'Taint de yea's dat folks libs, honey. 

Leastways dat's what I'se been tole; 
Hit's jis somefin' on de inside 

Keeps yo' young o' maks yo' ole. 




(62) 





£f de milk ob human kin*ness 

In yo* breas' hab tu'ned to whey. 
An' yo* 'lows dat all, 'cept yo' all's, 

Gittin' worser ebry day. 
An' yo' whine, an' keep a whinin' 

Kase da wo* Id hab used yo' luff. 
Den yo' ma'k what dis chile tole yo', 

Yo'U git ole, den, fas' enuff. 






Ef yo' wan' to keep it sweet, chile, 

I'll done tole yo' what to do; 
Tak' a hoi' an' he'p de fellah 

Dat is worser off den yo'. 
Ef da's nothin' yo' kin spare him, 

Yo' kin mak him understood 
By jis squeezin' ob his han', chile', 

Dat yo'd lak to ef yo' could. 




(64) 





Den yo*ll go away a feelin' 

Moughty tendah roiin' de hea*t; 
It's a heap o' satisfactim 

Fo* to know yo*s done yo' pawt. 
An', honey, reckomembah 

Dis* yere precep' dat I'se tole. 
Long's de hea't am keepin' tendah 

Dah's no chanct fo* gittin* ole. 





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One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



